AKB48 Team Surprise – Suteki na Sankaku Kankei (Pachinko Version – #10) (a J!-ENT World Groove CD Single Review)

1. 素敵な三角関係

DVD INFO: 16:9 LB, Region 2, Duration: 4:45

1. 素敵な三角関係 Music Clip

To commemorate the release of the Pachinko AKB48 game machine and a tie-in with Pachinko company Kyoraku, 16 senbatsu members of AKB48 would form a special team known as “Team Surprise” and a total of 12 songs featured in the pachinko game will be released via a CD+DVD single beginning in September 2012.

The members to participate in this special project are (note: the lineup is before their fall 2012 lineup change):

Team A: Maeda Atsuko, Takahashi Minami, Takajo Aki, Shinoda Mariko, Kojima Haruna, Team K: Oshima Yuko, Itano Tomomi, Yokoyama Yui, Miyazawa Sae, Minegishi Minami; Team B: Watanabe Mayu, Kashiwagi Yuki, Kitahara Rie; Team 4: Shimazaki Haruka; SKE48 Team S: Matsui Rena and HKT48 Team H: Sashihara Rino

Each week from September through mid-November, a single plus its music video was released via a pachinko hall version (which can be won or sold at pachinko halls) and a web version, each featuring two different covers and will come with exclusive collectors cards for the pachinko hall and another for the web version. It’s important to note that because these releases are not sold in regular stores, the best way for those living outside of Japan to purchase these singles is through eBay.

And here we are with the tenth AKB48 Team Surprise CD single “Suteki na Sankaku Kankei”, a song that translates into “Amazing Love Triangle” and is sung by Rino Sashihara, Minami Mingeishi, Rena Matsui, Rie Kitahara, Sae Miyazawa and Yuki Yokoyama.

The single that I am reviewing is the Pachinko Hall version and features images of the group members on an 8-page booklet featuring lyrics, production credits and liner notes from Ishigami. The back cover of the CD features an image of Mariko Shinoda, Haruka Shimazaki and Rena Matsui (note: by putting all 12 CD’s together, like a puzzle, you can see a complete image). Also, by visiting the official website for “Suteki na Sankaku Kankei”, you can get access to liner notes, gallery (a few photos are what is featured in the CD insert), wallpaper and poster.

“Suteki na Sankaku Kankei” is a fun, American ragtime idol pop song composed by Hiroshi Uesugi (who has worked on arrangements for a lot of music artists including AAA, SPEED, MAX, SMAP, Berryz Kobo, ℃-ute and many more artists but also best known among AKB48 fans for writing the AKB48 songs “Sakura no Hanabira”, “Sakura no Shiori” and “Baby! Baby! Baby!”).

The artist who is gets the center position for this CD single is Rino Sashihara and on the music video, you will see both Sashinara and Rena Matsui.  But listening to the track, you seem to hear more Rino and Rena more than the other girls.  But overall, the song is quite upbeat and the lyrics are quite fun to listen to.

The song revolves around three people growing up together, two girls and one boy.  One day, one of the girls arrived to a meetup and saw the other girl and boy kissing.  And the girl who saw them kissing was shocked because she also liked the guy.

But because she respects her friends, she is going to keep smiling and not be sad and not affect their relationship as friends.  And as long as she is not sad, things will be fine.  So, she will accept this amazing love triangle.

As for the DVD, the music video features the six members coming out of a truck and performing and later riding a carousel while singing their song.   It’s a cute and colorful idol pop video with fun choreography.

It’s important to note that this is a region 2 DVD and will not play on a region 1 player (unless you have a non-region DVD player) but can be played on a MAC or PC using free video playing software such as VLC or Daum PotPlayer.

Overall, the AKB48 Team Surprise CD singles may not be for everyone, primarily because there is only one song and one music video and they cost the same price of a regular single.

But yet, if you are an AKB48 collector and you want to collect them all, this is a fun and different AKB48 pop track and if you are a Rino Sashihara or Rena Matsui fan, the two seem to have the more dominant vocals. But it is a single that I have listened to several times now and have not grown tired of it.

“Tabidachi no Toki”, the seventh AKB48 Team Surprise CD+DVD release is recommended!